The fastest recorded 100m is actually 9.69s. This time was set by Obadele
Thompson but as it was wind assisted (+5.7m/s) it can not be a world record, and
to make it a little easier it was also set at altitude.

Johnathan Edwards triple jump of 18.43m is the longest jump of all time but
the wind assistance of +2.4m/s was just over the legal limit of +2.0m/s.

Before the men's javelin specification was changed the WR reached 104.80m.

Over 2 billion people watched the Sydney Olympics.

The first 4 marathons to be held at the modern games were about 40km (25
miles) long, but at the 1908 games the race started at Windsor Castle and ended
at White City stadium, a distance of 26 miles 385yd (42.2km) which has become
the standard length.

The Olympic flag was not used until the 1920 games.

In 1978 Vladimir Yashchenko cleared 2.35m indoors in the High jump (a world
best) using the straddle technique.

Early Triple Jump practitioners in Ireland used 2 hops and a jump before the
event was standardized. The best distance achieved using this technique was
15.72m by Daniel Ahearne (3rd July 1910), Daniel also set the first IAAF record
of 15.52 the next year (30th May 1911).

Diskos was a Greek word meaning 'thing for throwing'. Metal or stone discoi were
used for what became a standard event at the ancient Olympics.

Britain is only 1 of 5 countries to have competed in every Olympic games,
along with France, Australia, Greece, and Switzerland.

The earliest evidence of organized running dates back to 3800 B.C. in
Memphis, Egypt. Ritual races around the town walls may have even pre-dated 4100
B.C.. At this time races were also run between 2 pillars, normally 4 lengths.

The first use of 'electric' timing occurred at the AAU (USA) Championships in
1891.

The first indoor athletics took place in India in 324 B.C. when 2 generals of
Alexandra the great erected a large marquee.

Harold I, king of England (1035-1040) was known as 'Harefoot' due to his
running speed.

2 Months after the Sydney Olympics had finished 108 coaches and athletes
(including 8 British) were 'missing in action'.